Digital Information World n e w s l e t t e r

We are happy to inform you that from this issue we will bring news items and other related information about the forthcoming World Summit on the Information Society which will be held from December 10-12, 2003 at Geneva.

Students and Educators to examine how Information Society affects application of
Human Rights Declaration

http://www.itu.int/wsis/newsroom/press_releases/itu/2003/schoolnet_18sep.html

Geneva, 18 September 2003 - The World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva 10-12 December 2003, will bring together educators who manage school networks in up to 40 countries to harness the potential that information and communication technologies (ICTs) can play in preparing students for a knowledge-based 'information' society. In the months leading up to the World Summit, students around the world will examine the relationship between ICTs and human rights through a series of online activities.

They will explore how the right to give and receive information has changed since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was first written in 1948, and rewrite Article 19 (Freedom of Expression) and Article 26 (Right to an Education). Through this study they will address issues raised by the new ICTs and discuss whether it is possible to protect freedom of speech while preventing "hate speech." They will also suggest ways that ICTs can help build cross-cultural understanding and a culture of peace.

The event, co-organized by the United Nations Cyberschoolbus and the European Schoolnet (www.eun.org), culminates with a live, online interaction between students and a Head of State on 11 December 2003 -- one day after the 55th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To take part in these activities, teachers must register at http://www.cyberschoolbus.un.org/

The Schoolnet event seeks to build a global alliance of ICT educational networks linking millions of students, which could serve as a focal point for educational projects on peace education, human rights, and other social issues, as well as serving as a resource for local community development projects.

"The alliance of ICT educational networks formed at the Summit will help governments achieve the goal of an information society that benefits all," says Bill Yotive, Project Manager of the United Nations Global Teaching and Learning Project.

The meeting at the Summit will give a boost to these developing infrastructures and will help establish greater communication, coordination, and assistance between the school networks.

"The Summit offers a unique opportunity to strengthen a relatively new infrastructure that is being built to connect schools through the Internet," adds Yotive.

"At the Summit we will discuss how building an infrastructure is just the beginning of developing ICT in education," says Brigitte Parry, European Schoolnet Networks Manager. "Basic services should be accessible by all, no matter where they are or what background they come from. We are particularly looking forward to creating an international community of young people, who are learning, exploring, and sharing their thoughts about the crucial issues of democracy, human rights and access to information and technology."

In addition to this initiative, a WSIS Poster Competition has been launched by UN Cyberschoolbus in preparation for the Summit. The competition will offer students (ages 9 and up) from around the world an opportunity to convey their vision on how ICTs can create an information society for all. Entry forms can be obtained from the UN Cyberschoolbus Website http://www.cyberschoolbus.un.org/wsis/guidelines_entryform.asp

Students can choose from six different themes, all of which focus on finding innovative ways to bridge the "digital divide" -- the growing gap between countries that have access to information and communication technologies and those that do not.

About the United Nations Cyberschoolbus
The UN Cyberschoolbus (www.cyberschoolbus.un.org) is an online education component whose mission is to promote education about international issues and the United Nations. The primary goals of this project are to build a global online community of teachers and students, provide opportunities for students to participate in finding solutions to global problems, and to make the issues the UN deals with more accessible to children and youth.

About European Schoolnet
European Schoolnet (www.eun.org) is a unique international partnership of 26 Ministries of Education developing learning for schools, teachers and pupils across Europe and beyond. It provides insight into the use of ICT in Europe for policy-makers and education professionals. This goal is achieved through communication and information exchange at all levels of school education using innovative technologies, and by acting as a gateway to national and regional school networks.

About WSIS
The World Summit on the Information Society provides a unique opportunity for all key stakeholders to develop a common vision and understanding and to address the whole range of relevant issues related to the Information Society.

It aims to bring together Heads of State, Executive Heads of the United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations, civil society entities, industry leaders and media representatives to foster a clear statement of political will and concrete plan of action to shape the future of the global information society and to promote the urgently needed access of all countries to information, knowledge and communication technologies for development.

The Summit has been endorsed by the UN General Assembly and will take place under the auspices of Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General, with the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations specialized agency for telecommunications, taking the lead role in its preparation.

The Summit will be held in two phases: Geneva (10-12 December 2003) and Tunisia (16-18 November 2005).

WSIS Poster Contest 2003
Guidelines and Entry Form

The World Summit on the Information Society in collaboration with the United Nations Cyberschoolbus is pleased to announce the WSIS Poster Contest 2003.

The modern world is undergoing a fundamental change as the industrial society of the 20th century is being rapidly replaced by the information society of the 21st century. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have changed every aspect of our lives how we do business, how we learn, how we spend our leisure time, and the way in which governments provide services to its citizens. Information societies should use ICTs, like the telephone, radio, television, and computer in ways that benefit everyone.

In December 2003, world leaders will be gathering in Geneva, Switzerland for the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). Their attention will be focused on growing gap between countries that have access to ICTs and those that do not. Their goal will be to find ways to make sure that all people benefit from the information revolution that is taking place.

The WSIS poster contest gives students around the world an opportunity to convey their vision of an Information Society.

Theme
	Students should choose one of the following topics as a theme for their poster: 1. ICTs Help People Learn about the World They Live In Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have made it possible for information about the earth, plants, animals, and other living organisms that share this planet with us, to be spread instantaneously. As access to ICTs increases, we will be able to share this knowledge with more people all over the world. Make a poster that shows the potential of ICTs to provide this information to everyone. 2. ICTs Help People Appreciate Cultural Diversity Another advantage of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is that they can connect people who live very far from each other. You can talk to people in places you have never visited. Make a poster that shows the potential of ICTs to connect people all over the world to build a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity. 3. ICTs Can Help Improve Our Quality of Life In September 2000, world leaders agreed to use their governments resources to combat poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, discrimination against women, and to protect the environment. Make a poster that shows how ICTs could be used to help find solutions to any of these global problems. For example, how could ICTs be used to help deliver basic health services more efficiently or contribute to protecting the environment? 4. ICTs Can Make it Easier for People to Participate in Making Decisions on Issues and for Governments to Provide Services to Citizens One of the goals of the World Summit on the Information Society is to find ways to use ICTs to help people, particularly women, become more involved in their local governments and to participate in making decisions. In addition, the WSIS will also be focusing on how governments can use ICTs to deliver services more efficiently to their citizens. Make a poster that shows the potential for ICTs to be used in this way. 5. Information and Human Rights Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) guarantees the right to seek, receive, and pass on information through any media. At the time the UDHR was written many of the ICTs that exist today were not available. New technologies such as the computer and cell phones have given new meaning to the right to seek, receive, and pass on information. Make a poster that illustrates the basic right of everyone to give and get information no matter where they live or the many ways that ICTs are used to give and get information. 6. ICTs and the Digital Divide Despite the rapid increase in ICTs around the world, there is still an enormous gap between those that have and use ICTs and those that do not. This information gap is called the digital divide and exists between rich and poor countries, high-income and low-income families, boys and girls, different ethnic groups and even rural and urban communities. Make a poster that shows the need to reduce the digital divide.
Eligibility
	Students currently enrolled in Primary School (9 years old and up), Intermediate School, and Secondary School are eligible to enter the contest. Students younger than 9 years old as well as those that have already graduated from Secondary School will not be eligible to enter this contest. Each entry must be sponsored by a teacher or principal from the students school. All entries must include the Entry Form that is provided below. Entry categories: One winner from each educational level (Primary, Intermediate, and Secondary) will be chosen. Winning entries will be exhibited at the World Summit on the Information Society in December, 2003.
Specifications
	Use crayons, coloured pencil, markers, paint, water colour, charcoal or other drawing materials. Collages consisting of material cut out of magazines and sculptures will not be accepted. Words can be incorporated into the poster but are not required. Entries should be submitted on paper or cardboard within the following size limits: No larger than 60 x 45 cm (18 x 24) No smaller than 28 x 23 cm (81/2 x 11) On the back of each poster, include: The artists name, age and educational level (specify Primary/Elementary, Intermediate/Middle, or Secondary) Name of institution and grade Address and country
Evaluation of Entries
	Entries will be judged on: how well they illustrate one of the themes described above artistic expression creative use of ICTs in the poster
Prize
	One entry from each educational level will be made into a poster and exhibited at the World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva, Switzerland to be held in December, 2003.
Deadline
	Entries for the WSIS Poster Contest 2003 must be postmarked by 31 October 2003.

WSIS Poster Contest 2003 Entry Form

(Each participating student, his or her parent or legal guardian and a sponsoring teacher must sign this form.)

By signing this form, I certify that this poster is my original work and give permission to WSIS to display my work, my name and my photo. I acknowledge that submitted materials become the property of WSIS and cannot be returned.

(Please type or print clearly.)

Student Name		Date
Student Signature		Grade
Signature of Parent or Legal Guardian
Name and Signature of Sponsoring Teacher
School Name		School email
School Address		City/State/Zip

Please send poster and completed form to:

WSIS Poster Contest
United Nations Cyberschoolbus
405 East 42nd Street
Room S-931E
New York, New York 10017
USA

In recent years, mobile phones have reached to a stage that, it is a normal feature to find people often receive and send text messages at every place. They became a regular part of life for many people. However, still to many educators it has not reached them in reality for many applications.

Mobile technology has a greater potential in a sense that it permits institutions to transmit information such as updates to learning materials, assignments and questions and answers and other education management purposes. Users who are not able to become the part of the discussion groups and cannot afford long distance calls can easily and cost-effectively send text messages to their tutors and received answers back the same way. The people who are on mobile are no longer forced to carry heavy notebook computers and books to enable them to study while traveling. Study materials converted in to the same format as e-Books read on PDAs will help lighten the load and enable the most mobile of individuals to keep up to date with their studies while traveling.

Thus the m-learning including the use of small pocket seized cell phone enabled mobile devices. The recently introduced m-learning technologies contain descriptions of many mLearning initiatives.

Already some learning centers are involved in education technology projects that are experimenting with mobile phones in teaching and learning. In these projects the students can pick up their phone to respond to questions about the ICT skills they have recently acquired. Finally the students can receive a call to do a voice examination with a computer as the students felt this would be more comfortable than talking to a teacher. The last stage will involve posting students coursework onto a web site.

However the mobile technology when applied for learning requires the frequent use of the phones and the major issue is the cost of the technology.

ERPANET and CODATA are pleased to announce a joint International Archiving Workshop on the Selection, Appraisal, and Retention of Scientific Data. This three-day workshop, co-hosted by the Biblioteca Nacional, will be held in Lisbon, Portugal on the 15th to 17th December 2003.

The aim of the workshop is to identify and discuss the key scientific, technical, management, and policy considerations for the successful implementation of appraisal and selection guidelines and retention policies. The workshop will also provide a networking opportunity for participants to meet with other researchers, data managers, information specialists,
archivists, and science policy experts across disciplines and national boundaries.

Benefits from Attendance

One of the major aims for this workshop is to provide and international forum to exchange information about data archiving policies and practices across different scientific, institutional, and national contexts. This seminar is aimed at all people involved in the creation and management of scientific data.

Programme and seminar focus
-opening: 15th December, 13:30
-overview of ERPANET and CODATA activities
-overview of selecting, appraising and retention of scientific data across
disciplines
-achieving the maximum potential scientific, economic and social benefits
from public investments in the long-term retention of scientific data
-exploring perspectives across different disciplines via case studies
-examining common/unique long-term appraisal and selection guidelines and
long-term retention policies
-successfully implementing scientific, technical, management, and policy
considerations
-closing: 17th December, 12:30

Seminar Format
During this 3-day seminar, disciplinary and interdisciplinary case studies will focus on both the content creator and the end user perspectives. These sessions will be followed by a general discussion of the case studies. A plenary discussion will examine common/unique long-term appraisal and selection guidelines and retention policies as well as scientific, technical, management, and policy considerations for successful implementation.

Venue
The venue is the Biblioteca Nacional at Campo Grande 83, 1749-081 Lisbon,
Portugal.

Register at www.erpanet.org
For more information contact british.editor@erpanet.org
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Many international workshops and meetings generate valuable contributions to the society. However most of us are not able to make them due to many reasons. We miss access to all such scholarly knowledge. How we can track such contributions. We will discuss it in the next issue.

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